Touch screens or displays, e.g., plasma or LCD displays are commonly used to provide a user interface and to receive command and control inputs from a user. Touch screens include a transparent membrane that when depressed at certain locations activates a switch to execute a particular function. A touch screen may be coupled to, for example, electrical switches. Touch screens may be utilized as a user interface in numerous applications such as appliances, electronics equipment, for devices in a vehicle, etc. Typically, touch screens are flat (two dimensional) and require visual contact from a user while actuating a region on the touch screen coupled to a membrane switch or contact or a mechanical switch. This may be problematic for systems or devices in a vehicle as drivers would have to keep their eyes off of the road while selecting and actuating a switch using the touch screen. In addition, touch screens may acquire fingerprints and dirt from direct contact by users. A flat touch screen may also be difficult to see from different angles, for example, a passenger in a vehicle may have difficulty viewing and using a touch screen in the vehicle that is positioned for easier viewing by the driver of the vehicle.
It would be advantageous to provide a user interface for a touch screen or display that is configured to provide tactile feedback to a user so the user may identify when they are making contact with a particular region (e.g., a button) and actuate a switch associated with the region with minimal visual contact. In addition, it would be advantageous to provide an interface that includes buttons (or contact regions) that may be reconfigured by changing a display visible through the interface.